Regulator for compressors or the like.



PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904.

R. GONRADER.

REGULATOR FOR GOMPRBSSORS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.17. 1902.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

REGULATOR FOR COMPRESSORS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFIGATIONforming' part of Letters Patent No. 775,393, dated November22, 1904.

Application filed February 17, 1902. Serial No. 94,517. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that L RUDOLPH CONRADER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators forCompressors or the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to regulating devices for compressors and thelike; and it consists in certain improvements in the constructionthereof, as will be hereinafter fully described, and set forth in theclaims.

The object of the invention is to provide a regulating device operatingupon the intake of the compressor, said device being capable ofregulating the inflow of gases, as well as relieving the compressor whenthe receiver exceeds the maximum pressure.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of the compressor andregulating device. Fig. 2 is an end view of the compressor andregulating relief mechanism.

A marks the compressor-cylinder; B, the compressor-plunger; C, thedischarge-valve; a, the discharge-port; D, the discharge-pipe, which maybe termed the receiver; E E, the inlet-valves; a, the inlet-port. Theseparts are similar to like parts now in use.

The intake-passage G opens into the port a and is controlled by thevalve F. The stem f of the valve F extends through the gland g into thechamber H. The plunger F is arranged to operate in the chamber H and issecured to the stem f. A spring I is arranged under the plunger F andtends to force the valve F to an open position. The force of the springincreases as the plunger moves downwardly to close the valve. It will benoted that the valve moves in opening and closing in the line of theflow of the fluid as distinguished from a slide-valve. The motorcomadapted to control theregulating relief device or valve F. A passage7t opens into the chamber H. It is provided with the minute ventopening7t and an inlet-passage /f. The passage h forms a means of connection toafluidsupply for the regulating-motor and is controlled by aneedle-valve J, carried by the stem j. The stem j is secured to aplunger K. The plunger K operates in a chamber L. The chamber L has thereceiver connection M, which is connected by the pipe M with the pipe orreceiver D, so that the plunger K is subjected to receiver-pressure atall times. The arm Z extends from the chamber L, and a lever N ispivoted at Z on this arm. An arm 11 extends downwardly from the lever,and a stem is is placed between the plunger K and the arm '21. At thelower end of the arm n is an adjusting-hook 0, provided with thethumb-screw 0 and by which the hook may be adjusted. A spring 0 issecured to the hook 0 and a hook Z" extending from the chamber L. Thestrength or tension of this spring may be adjusted by the nut a.Extending from the lever N is an arm N, on which is a weight N. Theweight N may be adjusted and secured at any point of adjustment by thescrew N.

The motor comprising the chamber L may be termed the primary orcontrolling motor. The general operation of this device is similar tothe regulating device shown in my application filed January 29, 1902,Serial No. 91,785, and the relief device shown in my application filedon the same date, Serial No. 91,783.

The present invention resides in the form of relief device and thecombining of the relief and regulating device and the arrangement of therelief device on the intake of the compressor rather than in thedetailed mechanism which is shown in my prior application. The valve Fshown is of the disk type; but it will be understood that my invention,broadly considered, includes a valve similar to the one shown in saidapplication Serial No. 91,785.

The operation of the device is as follows: After the compressor hasraised the presprising the chamber H may be termed the sure in thereceiver to that desired, this pres- 4 I 5 secondary or regulating motorand is l sure, operating in the chamber L against the plunger K, movesthe plunger K so as to permit a certain amount of fluid to enter thepassage it by the supply-opening 7L This creates pressure on the plungerF. The ventopening remains constantly open, so that there is a constantescape of gas from the passage it so long as the passage 7& is open. Theproportions of the passages k and 71, are such that with ordinaryreceiver-pressures there is a very great change in the pressure in thepassage h and in the chamber H, with very small change of pressure inthe receiver. In other words, a small change of pressure in the receivermoves the plunger K to a suflicient distance to open the supply-openingb so that it has a much larger area than the vent h. Under theseconditions the pressure in the chamber H will rapidly rise, and ifthe-supply-opening /L were to be made large enough it will of course beunderstood that the pressure in the chamber H would approximatereceiver-pressure. On the other hand, it will be understood that if theopening 71. were made small enough relative to the vent h the pressurein the chamber H would be practically atmospheric pressure. Byproportioning the openings 7& and h a change of pressure in the receivermay be intensified in the chamber H, so that a very minute change in thereceiver may be attended with a very marked change in the pressureoperating upon the plunger F. This operating upon the valve F regulatesthe amount of fluid taken into the receiver through the intake. If thereceiverpressure rises above the desired maximum, it operates upon theplunger K sufficiently to so open the valve J that the fluid is suppliedto the chamber H in suflicient quantities to create a pressure in saidchamber great enough to overcome the spring I and atmospheric pressureon the valve F so that the valve is completely closed. The compressorwill then exhaust the air or gas in the passages and will run in apartial vacuum and will use but very little power. When thishappens-.that is, when there is a complete closurethe device is what iscommonly known as a, relief device, so that the apparatus as a wholehaving this property of complete closure and regulation may be and istermed in the claims a regulating relief mechanism. As soon asreceiver-pressure becomes reduced to within the desired limit the valveJ is closed sufliciently to reduce the pressure in the chamber H to apoint where the spring I and the atmospheric pressure operating upon thevalve F will open it a suflicient distance to give the compressor thedesired amount of inflow, so that the valveF is held in a position thatwill permit an inflow commensurate with the volume of fluid being drawnfrom the receiver.

pressure on the motor over the fluctuations.

of pressure in the receiver.

2. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of 'aregulating-valve arranged to act upon the intake of the compressor; avalve-actuating motor arranged to influence the regulating-valve; meansfor connecting saidmotor with a fluid-receiver the fluid-supply of whichis to be regulated, said motor being arranged to act with a change ofpressure in the receiver; and means for controlling the fluid-pressureon the motor wh1le -in communication with the receiver to intensify thevariations of pressure on the motor over the fluctuations of pressure inthe receiver.

3. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a motor arranged to influence the regulating-valve; a counter-pressurearranged in opposition to said motor and increasing in strength with amovement of the motor; incident to an increase of fluid-pressure on themotor; means for connecting said motor with a fluid-supply; and meansfor controlling the fluid-pressure on the motor while in communicationwith the fluid-supply to intensify the variations of pressure on themotor over the fluctuations of pressure in the receiver of thecompressor.

4. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a motor arranged to influence the regulating-valve; means for connectingsaid motor with a,fluidsupply, said motor having a supply-opening fromsaid means of connection and a vent-opening; and means for automaticallyvarying the relative capacities of the supply and vent openings whilethe supply-opening is in communication with said means of connection tointensifythe variations of the pressure on the motor over thefluctuations of the pressure in the receiver of the compressor.

5. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a motor arranged to influence the regulating-valVe; means for connectingsaid motor with a fluid-receiver, the fluid-supply of which is to beregulated, said motor having a supply-opening from said means ofconnection and a vent-opening; and means for automatically varying therelative capacities of the supply and vent openings while thesupply-opening is in communication with said means of connection tointensify the variations of the pressure on the motor over thefluctuations of the pressure in the receiver.

6. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a motor arranged to influence the regulating-valve; means for connectingsaid motor with a fluid-supply, said motor having a supply-opening fromsaid means of connection and a vent-opening; means for automaticallyvarying the relative capacities of said openings while thesupply-opening is in communication with said means of connection tointensify the variations of pressure on the motor over the fluctuationsof pressure on the receiver of the compressor and means for controllingthe extent the variation is intensified with a given variation ofreceiver-pressure.

T. In a regulating device, the combination With a compressor; of aregulating device arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a fluid-actuated motor arranged to restrict the intake by means of theregulating device, upon an increase of pressure on the motor; means forconnecting said motor with a fluid-supply, through a supply-opening,said motor also havinga vent-opening; a counterpressure device opposingthe movement of the motor when actuated by the fluid and increasing instrength as the motor is moved by the fluid; and means actuated byreceiver-pressure for varying the relative capacities of the supply andvent openings while the motor is in communication through thesupply-opening with said connecting means to intensify the variation ofpressure in the motor over fluctuations of pressure in the receiver ofthe compressor.

8. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a regulating-motor arranged to influence the regulating-valve; acontrollingmotor; means for connecting said controllingmotor with thereceiver; means actuated by said controlling-motor for admitting fluidto said regulating-motor and for controlling the fluid-pressure on theregulating-motor after the admission of fluid to the regulating-motor tointensify the variations of pressure on the regulating-motor over thefluctuations of pressure in the receiver of the compressor.

9. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aregulating-valve arranged to operate upon the intake of the compressor;a regulating-motor arranged to influence said regulatingalve, said motorbeing provided with supply and vent openings, said supply-openingleading to a fluid-supply; a controlling-motor; means for connectingsaid controlling-rnotor with the receiver of the compressor; and a valveactuated by said controlling-motor and arranged to vary the relativecapacities of said supply and vent openings while the regulating-motoris in communication with the fluid-supply to intensify the variations ofpressure on the motor over the fluctuations of pressure in the receiver.

10. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of aprimary motor; means for connecting said motor with a receiver; a valvecontrolled by said primary motor; a secondary motor controlled by saidvalve; and a regulating relief mechanism arranged to operate upon theintake of the compressor and actuated by said secondary motor to varythe intake-opening in proportion to the volume of fluid being drawn fromthe receiver.

11. In a regulating device, the combination with a compressor; of thevalve F, arranged on the intake-passage; the plunger F, connected withsaid valve; the chamber H, in which said plunger operates; acounter-pressure mechanism comprising the spring I; the passage h,having the supply-opening k and vent opening it; the needle-valve J,arranged in the supply-opening; the plunger K, for operating the valveJ; the chamber L, in which the plunger operates; the lever N, arrangedto exert counter-pressure on the plunger K; the spring 0, arranged onthe lever N; a connection M, between the receiver and the chamber L; andsaid receiver or outlet D.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLPH GONRADER. \Vitnesses:

H. (J. LORI), G. E. YARD.

